As the Manatee County School Board begins grappling with another painful round of budget cuts, the lawsuit against the state concerning constitutional issues about public school funding heads to the Florida Supreme Court.
A state appellate court pushed the case up to the high court last week, deciding that the lawsuit from parents, students and advocacy groups is an issue of “great public importance” that merits a faster track through the legal system. A quicker decision is vital to school districts around the state as Florida faces another $2 billion revenue shortfall and potential cuts to education.
The state Constitution requires a “uniform, efficient, safe, secure and high quality system of free public schools.” The lawsuit contends the state has failed to meet those standards, and evidence supports that point.
State funding has fallen dramatically over the past few years. In Manatee County alone, the district slashed spending by $14 million this school year, part of the $60 million in trims over the past four years.
Enrollment is expected to rise by 1,000 students next year with a statewide forecast of more than 30,000 additional students.
Florida’s class-size amendment will then put the state in a funding bind as districts struggle to add both classrooms and teachers to meet those constitutional mandates. The Legislature already eased class-size requirements this school year to save money.
The state’s poor standing in public school education is painfully evident. Census Bureau figures show Florida ranks 41st among states in total funding per student, but a clearer picture can be found in the graduation rate and average SAT score -- both ranking among the worst in the nation. Those are indefensible statistics for a state that enshrined “quality education” in the Constitution.
Legislative leaders and the State Board of Education argue the courts do not have the authority to order additional spending on schools, contending education policy is a political issue under the Legislature’s purview.
In 1996, the Florida Supreme Court ruled along those lines in rejecting a lawsuit challenging state compliance with the constitutional requirement for an “adequate and uniform” school system. Justices decided the Constitution then lacked specific standards under which compliance could be determined.
Voters wisely responded with a new amendment in 1998, mandating an “efficient, safe, secure and high quality” system that would be a “paramount duty” of the state. In 2006, the Supreme Court decided the new amendment did indeed provide standards.
Public school education is no longer solely a political issue which legislators can claim meets constitutional muster by simple proclamation. Solid evidence points to the state’s failure to follow voter mandates.
On numerous occasions at the ballot box, Floridians have shown a commitment to public school education. The Legislature must follow the will of the people and quit hiding behind arrogant political excuses.
We welcome the Supreme Court’s entry into this case.
